Short-cut approach usually produces poor result. Knowing that I TRIED the method of cooking gingko nuts in a microwave oven (you can find lots of information on this subject on line – Japanese language, including video), because I have so many gingko nuts to cook in the next 2 to 3 weeks or so.
It DID work! See the photos. Crack the gingko nuts (just make a crack; you do not need to peel the shell); put them into a small brown envelop (can I use white envelop? can anyone give me advice on this question?); fold the flip over to the body of the envelop to close it: secure the folded part with a tape; put it in a Panasonic microwave oven (I used “side dish” button) and cooked 1 minute or until I heard one pop-up sound and started to smell the fragrance of the gingko nuts. Here you are, the microwaved gingko nuts. Wow, so easy…no labor….and properly done (Buzz mentioned that it was a bit too soft, though.) After this discovery, I may go back to the time and labor consuming method. Cooking gingko nuts in the skillet takes only 5 minutes and watching the process until the nuts acquires bright green color is soothing.
In Japan we say gingko nuts enhances our memory. It is a fine line between improving my memory and poisoing myself…
